Football: Pryer Finds Home At Northside After Hurricane Katrina

Football: Pryer Finds Home At Northside After Hurricane Katrina

Attorneys sometimes like to say eyewitness testimony is one of the most unreliable forms of evidence. The human memory is foggy. A rare few have the ability to recall images, times, places and faces with an uncanny precision. Most can’t remember what they had for breakfast yesterday.

Jermaine Pryer is among the former.

He’s a reserved guy, quiet until its time to hit someone on the football. The lone returning starter in the Northside defensive backfield has already won over his new head coach and defensive coordinator just two games into the season with his toughness and, frankly, his talent.

“I can put him against anybody,” first-year defensive coordinator and secondary coach Felix Curry said. “Just watching him on tape, even as a junior, he played hard, he played fast and was one of the most productive players last year.”

Part of it is pure athleticism. He runs a 4.6-second 40 yard-dash. The other part is his mind for the game. He’s undersized at 5-foot-9, 155 pounds, but he thinks about the game like a prototype ball hawk. The sport came naturally to him, too. He had an uncle who played college football in Louisiana, Pryer’s home state.

And that’s where he gets his gift for memorization. Though he’s seen things he’d probably rather forget.

Pryer and his family — mom, dad and two older sisters — moved from New Orleans after they were displaced by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Fort Smith became home thanks to a pair of grandparents who were already living here. Pryer vividly recalls the hurricane and the day he left.

He doesn’t forget. Once he experiences something, it sticks, Falleur said.

Curry installed a new defensive scheme upon his arrival in late spring. Pryer didn’t take to it as well as the coach was hoping at first. It took some time. About a month ago, it clicked. He’s been arguably the defense’s best player since.

“He struggled a little bit this summer with the change, with what we were going to do,” Falleur said. “Up until about four weeks ago. He’s just come on and gotten a hold of it. I’m proud of Jermaine Pryer. He’s really played well.”

The adversity dealt with on the Northside football team the last couple seasons doesn’t compare to what Pryer has faced in his personal life. He’s the type of guy, though, who sees the big picture. He’s quiet almost to the point of being introspective. Even on the field, he isn’t the outspoken, brash type.

It’s that self-awareness that’s served him so well off and on the field.

“He’s a silent leader,” Curry said. “He doesn’t say a whole lot. But his play, his play says it for him.”

That isn’t to say Pryer is lacking anything. He’s social, preferring to hang out with friends and watch football in his free time. And he’s trying out for the Northside bowling team this year, too.

His coaches aren’t the only ones who think he’s been the best player on defense this season.

“I think it’s me,” he said. “I do every assignment on defense. Cover everything, don’t loaf. We’ve got a lot of good players and we’re a lot better than last year, you can tell.”

Like almost everything else, he remembers last year. He doesn’t want to go through it again in his senior season.

“Last year we gave up sometimes. This year we dedicated to our craft. I think it’s the most talented team since I’ve been here.”